Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach yesterday unveiled his vision for a 24-hour campus to serve the homeless. As KRCC’s Liz Ruskin reports, the mayor is looking for property downtown that can provide everything from showers to meals to drug counseling.

There’s broad agreement at the state capitol that more needs to be done to help Colorado’s homeless and mentally ill. There’s also agreement that southeastern Colorado could use some economic development. But a proposal by Governor John Hickenlooper to do both in one project isn’t getting much traction. CPR Health Reporter Eric Whitney looks […]

Some state lawmakers spent time at the former Fort Lyon Correctional Facility near Las Animas today, considering whether to repurpose the prison under a proposal from Governor John Hickenlooper…Colorado’s Latino and black residents are falling further behind the state’s white residents in some of the most important measures of social progress…and, Hundreds of people turned out for the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. marade in Denver today.

On November 27th, the Colorado Springs City Council voted to ban all forms solicitation from the downtown blocks between Nevada and Cascade from Boulder to Cucharras. While there’s no telling at this point whether the ban will actually go into effect, as the ACLU is currently challenging its constitutionality, it seems an opportune moment to […]

The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, has filed a federal lawsuit in Denver after the Colorado Springs City Council yesterday voted to approve a panhandling ban…While Washington lawmakers wrestle with the fiscal cliff, Colorado Senator Mark Udall continues to press fellow members of Congress for an extension of the Wind Production Tax Credit.

Colorado Springs City Council yesterday gave initial approval to regulations concerning oil and gas drilling within city limits…Council also voted in favor of a ban on panhandling in the downtown area…Fort Carson is hosting nearly 300 soldiers and 30 helicopters from Fort Riley in Kansas for high altitude training…Firefighters battling the Fern Lake Fire in Rocky Mountain National Park have ordered more resources to help contain the blaze.

The terms “poor house” and “poor farm” have made their way into popular culture throughout the years. But the terms poor house and poor farm refer to real places. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many counties across America operated one. We found that El Paso County was no exception.

In a city with as much sprawl and as little public transportation as Colorado Springs, getting around on little or no income can be an enormous challenge. Bicycle Clinic Too, a local non-profit that operates out of garage on Bijou Hill near downtown has stepped in to help address the problem.

As the economy continues to sputter, more people are finding they need assistance making ends meet. This month, we’re taking a look at some of the programs, organizations, and issues facing the Pikes Peak region with a look at social services.

(Slide show is best viewed in full-screen mode by clicking on the arrows in the lower right-hand corner of the player. Click the right and left arrow buttons on the lower left to move through the slides. All photos by Noel Black and Michael Myers.)

News

December 13, 2017 | NPR · Simon Bramhall has pleaded guilty to assault in a case that a prosecutor called “without legal precedent.” He was burning his initials into human livers during transplant operations.

December 13, 2017 | NPR · More than 90 percent of African-Americans voted for Doug Jones in Alabama’s special Senate election Tuesday and Jones had the support of 98 percent of black women, according to exit polling.

December 13, 2017 | NPR · The site — popular with independent musicians, writers and artists — allows fans to make small, repeated payments to creators. A change in the pay structure sent shock waves through the Internet.

Arts & Life

December 13, 2017 | NPR · A review of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the latest in the intergalactic franchise. Fans are especially excited to see what happens to General Leia, played by Carrie Fisher, who died earlier this year.

December 13, 2017 | NPR · Immersive exhibits, such as “Infinity Mirrors” and Artechouse, are driving people to museums in search of the perfect snapshot. The craze is changing the way we experience art in the Instagram-era.

December 13, 2017 | NPR · NPR’s Robert Siegel talks with Gayla Peevey, who sang the original version of “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas” in 1953. That song helped the Oklahoma City Zoo get its first hippo — and this past week, Peevey welcomed the zoo’s newest hippo addition.

December 13, 2017 | NPR · An interview with Morrissey, published by Der Spiegel in November, resulted in the singer being criticized over comments on Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, which he blamed on mischaracterization.